


Tyler Kennedy

by mtnofgrace



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22558126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtnofgrace/pseuds/mtnofgrace
Summary: Missing scenes in episode 3. Also posted on my tumblr! Same user name.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand
Comments: 20
Kudos: 312





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alright guys so here is my 1st Tarlos one shot. I haven't written anything in 2 years so I felt really rusty, but I couldn't quit writing. Please leave me your thoughts! 😘

TK was a little pissy when his dad put Judd in charge of the call. Sure the dude was from Texas and was probably the most qualified for this, but he rubbed TK the wrong way most of the time. However, he was going to suck it up with some attitude until Marjan went down. No way was he losing a team member when he could reach her. He heard Judd's screams of no, but he didn't care. And really if he went down would it really matter? 

The rush he felt when he unclipped and reached for Marjan was the high he'd been missing. The adrenaline rush was powerful and left him feeling high like only the pills could. The corn was like quicksand, and by the time he had a good grip on Marjan, he was going down too. He sucked in a deep breath as he felt himself get separated from Marjan. The pressure around his chest was unbearable, but it was the first thing he'd really truly felt since the night Alex ruined his life. 

When he stumbled out into the light and took his first deep breath, it hurt but he was more worried about finding Marjan. It could've ended much worse, but they were all in one piece when they returned to the station. What he wasn't expecting was for Judd to blindside him when they got out of the rig. His chest was hurting and he was pretty sure it was just bruises, but he wasn't backing down from this confrontation. 

He didn't appreciate Judd's tone or the fact that he was insinuating TK only had a job because his dad was captain. Shoving Judd was his first instinct to let his anger out, and thankfully Judd was willing to fight back. It wasn't helping his ribs any, but at that moment he didn't care. 

After Paul separated them, he decided it was finally time to see Michelle. His chest was hurting with each really deep breath he took and he was sure it was just from the dive down the corn. He knocked on her office door glad to see his dad wasn't across the way. When he heard her call come in he opened and closed the door quietly. 

"TK what can I do for you?" Michelle asked giving him her full attention. 

"Just… uh.. needed to see if you got a second?" 

"Of course what's up?" 

TK made sure his dad hadn't come up before turning back to Michelle. "I think maybe the pressure in the silo was too much after all. It hurts with really deep breaths but I don't think anything's broke. And I… I don't wanna tell dad, and I can't…. I won't go to the hospital because I can't take anything they'd give me so can ya… can you just make sure its bruises?" 

"Yea come on. We can go to my bunk side. No one will know. And whatever you tell me will be in confidence." 

TK gave her a nod of thanks before following her out. Michelle gave him a quick once over and confirmed what he knew that it was just some bruising. She told him to take Tylenol if it was too painful since he appeared not to want anything stronger. He gave her a thanks before going out. Luckily shift was almost over and the rest of his shift was quite. 

* * *

That night despite still being angry at Judd, TK decided to stay in and rest. Across town, Carlos and Michelle were meeting up for beers at Carlos’s house. While he would love to help her find her sister, he was starting to lose hope. It had been three years, and no serious leads. He did think he’d gotten his point across by giving her the list of blue pickup trucks, and pointing out that Dustin did not own a blue truck. 

What he wasn’t fully prepared for was to spill his guts about TK. While he had missed their two-way street friendship, he’d initially been teasing. Until she turned serious and really wanted to know about his latest hookup. And truthfully, he didn’t know what to say because he really didn’t know anything about the guy. 

“I met someone, we hooked up, and then it got weird,” he said with a shrug. 

“Doesn’t it always,” she laughed. 

“No Michelle, it doesn’t always get weird,” he said exasperated. 

“So? Tell me about this boy," she relented. 

“You know him actually,” he said with a dramatic pause as she looked at him to continue. “TK Strand,” he said as she gasped at him. 

“Nice!” 

“Yea. He’s a ten and now I kinda can’t get him out of my head.” 

“So why don’t you ask him out?” 

“Oh no! He’d probably ghost me. I just hate being the one doing the chasing.” 

"Why? You’re the one with the handcuffs,” she joked as he rolled his eyes at her. “But speaking of, TK had an interesting day.” 

“Oh yea? How?” Carlos asked suddenly intrigued.

“You hear about the silo call?” At his nod Michelle continued; “Well, he decided to ignore Judd’s warnings and unclipped his line thinking he could save Marjan. They had to cut the side of the silo because he and Marjan got sucked down. So they went for a tumble. The pressure was too much for him and bruised his ribs. He came to me in confidence so I shouldn’t even be telling you, but just thought you’d wanna know, “ she winked. She could tell it was more than a hookup for Carlos and she had an idea TK needed someone in his corner so she didn't mind spilling what she knew.

Carlos let it roll over in his mind. TK ignored a direct order, and could’ve died had they not got the side cut soon enough. That did not sound promising after his freak out over a dinner. He let his thoughts tumble over each other as Michelle finished her beer and headed out for the night. Carlos ended up crashing on his couch, just managing to get enough sleep before his shift the next day. 

* * *

He was pulling a twelve hour shift starting at noon, and by the time it was getting late and getting close to him being off, he saw the one person he was not ready to see being lead into the station. Despite knowing he should distance himself, he couldn’t help it. He had to see what TK had done to be brought in in cuffs. 

He managed to get the officer that brought him in to leave him at Carlos’s desk, while Carlos went to find out what happened. When the other two wouldn’t talk and TK’s breathalyzer test was a 0.0, he decided he would be the one to cut him loose. He wanted to know why the guy he couldn’t get out of his head was suddenly on a suicide mission two days in a row. He saw TK hunched over his desk holding an ice pack to his eye. Had his hands been free, Carlos would bet his arm would be wrapped around his ribs. He knew they had to be killing him from the information Michelle had disclosed. 

The look on TK’s face when he sat down was honestly priceless. “Seriously?” he said with as much attitude as possible.

Carlos acted like it didn’t bother him; “Austin’s a small town TK; or should I say Tyler Kennedy.” TK grunted in response without looking up. “Bummer about getting arrested, people might find out your real name. Which marks the first actual thing I’ve learned about you.” 

Finally the ice pack drops, but the attitude doesn’t. “Isn’t you processing me like a conflict of interest or something?” 

“The good news is, neither of your new friends want to talk about that little scuffle tonight, and since you blew a 0.0, we’re not even giving you a drunk and disorderly. You’re free to go,” he says all this as he unlocks the cuffs. 

“What’s the bad news?” TK asks hesitantly. The no reaction and no questions from Carlos was making him nervous. 

“The bad news is that means you did this with a clear head.” TK won’t meet his eyes so he decides to push on. “I’m not trying to be your boyfriend or even your friend if you’re not into it,” he says while trying to catch TK’s eyes. He wants to make sure his point is getting across because he wants TK to know someone does care about him. “But you should talk to someone about why you felt compelled to do something so suicidal,” he pauses as TK finally meets his eyes; “two days in a row.” 

They have a brief stare down before TK reaches for the bag with his things. Carlos backs off, knowing he probably pushed too far, but he wants TK to know he’s not alone. When TK is still sitting there, he drops the box of tissues in front of him and goes back to the not bothered attitude. He’s not sure he wants TK to see how much he affects him. “Got a little crud by the way,” he says while pointing at his lip. 

He dropped the cuffs on his desk trying not to think about what Michelle had said. He tries to appear busy, but he can’t help but watch TK out of the corner of his eye. He's nowhere close to getting the dried blood off his lip. “Other side,” he said giving himself away and getting a look and a huff from TK. 

TK moves to the middle and sort of the other side, but he’s still not getting it. “Stop,” Carlos says exasperated. “Just let me.” He grabs a tissue and reaches over when TK moves back just a touch before his head stills. Carlos holds in his sigh and waits. When TK is still he reaches over and wipes the blood. It’s intimate and he shouldn’t get used to it because he knows TK will eventually bolt, but he can’t help but wish they could have more intimate moments. He can’t take his eyes off TK and thankfully TK is looking back. 

He’s almost positive his face is an open book of hurt and curiosity and desire, but he can’t seem to mask it. The things TK does to him is unbelievable. He gets a quiet “Thanks,” as he appears to go back to paperwork. He tries to stay focused and not move when TK leans in closer so just Carlos can hear him. And what comes next is definitely not what Carlos was expecting. 

“I’m sorry I went crazy on you the other night,” he says, and he sounds so sincere and upset about it. Carlos doesn’t want to let him know just how much it’d stung when he walked out the door so he decided to play it cool. 

“I’m a cop; I’m used to crazy.” He keeps working, but deep inside he’s absorbing everything and his stupid heart is doing flips. 

He sees TK try to find the words to go on when Carlos won’t look at him. He’s really trying here, trying like he hasn’t in a while. He’s not sure why he is, but that spark he had with Carlos was the most he’d felt until he dived down the silo and got in the fight. He didn’t want to give that up even if he’d acted like an ass the other night.

“Look I just went through a really bad breakup, like nuclear bad. And then I relapsed,” he says all the while never taking his eyes off Carlos. He wants Carlos to know he’s being as open as possible at the moment, and why he is the way he is. 

“You mean with me?” Carlos says again without even looking at TK.

“No,” TK says dropping his eyes at the same time Carlos cuts his eyes to look at him. TK finally has his attention, and he’s not sure how to handle it. He’s ashamed and embarrassed, and he really doesn’t want the hot cop he was hooking up with to know how bad he really is. He knows he’s a fuck up and his dad knows it, but he’s still not gotten comfortable with everyone else knowing just how much of a fuck up he really is. And that’s another reason Judd’s words hit close to home. At this point it really is because of his dad that he’s still a firefighter and still working, still here even. 

His eyes stay on the ground as he admits the truth. He’s come this far, he might as well lay it out there and let Carlos run free. No way he’s going to want anything to do with him after he knows most of the truth. “I mean with substances,” he says carefully. He can’t admit more than that at the moment, but he knows if Carlos was ever to stick around, he’d admit the full truth. But he knows that’s never a possibility. He’s debating running when Carlos finally speaks. 

“Right. Which explains your reaction to the champagne. I’m such an idiot. I’m-”

“No,” TK starts to interrupt, but Carlos continues, “I’m sorry,” he says as TK finishes his thought; “It’s fine okay?” He finally makes eye contact again before he continues not exactly sure where the word vomit is coming from. “I mean ever since I’ve gotten here it’s just…. It’s just gray, and I just feel numb all the time.” He pauses to decide how else to word it because he knows it’s going to sound bad, but he doesn’t have the words when he’s flayed open and raw. “I guess I just…. I wanted to feel something.” 

When Carlos just stares at him, he quickly grabs his things out of the bag and stands to make a run for it. He knew this was a bad idea opening himself up to someone else. No one could put up with his bratty attitude and fears and failures. As he turns the corner of the desk, Carlos speaks again, and it’s the last thing TK expected. 

“Judging by that lip, I’d say mission accomplished.” 

TK’s hand falls on the desk to prop himself up. His ribs are really killing him, his head is starting to pound, and he just laid most of his vulnerabilities out there and Carlos wants to bust his balls. He gives him his best go to hell look before speaking. “You really busting my balls right now?” he says in disbelief. 

“Yea suppose I am,” Carlos says with enough of a smirk that TK can’t stop his own smile from forming. TK goes to leave and Carlos lets him get a few steps down the hallway before he stops him. “I know you’re in pain, do you want to go to the hospital? My shift is over in another hour, but I could cut out early,” he says with a hand on TK’s arm. 

“Na. Don’t want what they’d give me anyways. Michelle told me to just take Tylenol.” While he’d love to give in to the offer and he knows it’d make him feel immensely better, he’s not going to disappoint his dad again. But it’s more than that now. He doesn’t want to let Carlos down, now that he knows the truth. 

“At least let me drive you home. You don’t have a car Tiger,” he says with a smirk. 

TK looks around before leaning into Carlos a little. “Yea… Yea that’d be fine. Long as you can leave.” He doesn’t want Carlos getting in trouble for him. 

“Yea. Just give me a few,” he says tossing TK’s jacket around his shoulders and leading him back to his desk. TK sits down wrapping an arm around his ribs as he hunched over a little. He couldn’t wait to get home and fall face first into bed. 

“Here,” Carlos said handing him two extra strength Tylenol and a bottle of water. “I’ll be ready in five. Just let me get my stuff.” TK offered him a nod and a smile before downing the pills. 

The ride through town was quiet. “Where to?” Carlos finally asked when he needed to turn one way or another. 

TK was biting his abused lip in thought. He didn’t want to go home and his dad see him this way, but he didn’t want to assume anything about going to Carlos’s. He’d caused him enough trouble tonight and laid way too much out there. A soft hand on his arm stopped the abuse his teeth were inflicting on his already abused lip. 

“You can come home with me if you want…. Tyler,” Carlos said quietly. His actual name rolling off those sexy lips sent a shiver down his spine. No one had called him that in a really long time.

“Don’t want to put you out or cause you more trouble,” TK said quietly. 

Carlos reached over and grabbed his chin, turning TK to look at him. “I meant it when I said I wouldn’t be anything you’re not comfortable with, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t gladly be whatever you wanted or needed.”

“Just to sleep. Got shift in the morning,” TK said after a small pause. He wasn't up to anything more tonight, not with the pain he was in.

“Just to sleep,” Carlos smiled before turning for home. 

Once home, Carlos went to shower, after laying out a pair of sweats and clean shirt for TK. TK settled in bed while Carlos was in the shower. He was suddenly so exhausted and he knew he needed as much sleep as possible before shift. He wasn’t sure how he’d explain away the black eye and split lip to his dad just yet, but he’d figure something out. Carlos’s bed was so comfortable that he was asleep before Carlos was out of the shower. 

The next morning when his alarm went off, TK let out a groan. “There’s a shirt on the dresser. Keep the sweats,” Carlos mumbled sleepily. 

“Thanks,” TK whispered before rolling over and giving Carlos a searing kiss. His ribs protested the held breath, but he couldn’t resist kissing the hottest guy that made him feel something other than numb and that had taken care of him when he needed it.

“Go out with me tonight?” Carlos mumbled sleepily. Stupid Michelle and her stupid advice he thought, when TK paused getting up. “Just darts at the bar,” Carlos said as an afterthought. “Nothing fancy.. Just whatever…” 

“Yea,” TK interrupted. “Yea. Sure. Shift’s over at eight. It’s a date.” 

“It’s a date Tyler Kennedy,” Carlos smiled before shutting his eyes again at TK’s groan. He had a feeling Carlos would not be letting the full name go anytime soon now that he knew it.

* * *

Shift drug by, and his anger with Judd returned tenfold when he saw him again. By the time he was off shift, he wasn’t sure he would be much fun, but he wasn’t bailing. He downed two more Tylenol before heading to the bar where Carlos was already waiting. After ordering his mineral water, he joined Carlos over at the dart board. 

It wasn’t but a few minutes and Judd and Grace joined the crowd at the bar, and TK’s mood soured. He started ranting about Judd and where he got off on his high horse for a solid twenty minutes. His aim is off because he’s letting his anger fuel his throws. Carlos throws as he keeps ranting, and TK turns to get the darts. 

“You know if I was a less secure man, I might be bothered by the fact that I worked up the nerve to ask you out, and you’ve spent the entire night talking about another guy,” Carlos teases. And it’s clear in his voice he’s giving TK a hard time. 

“Well it pisses me off,” TK says as if it’s not obvious. 

“I noticed,” Carlos smirks thinking of all the ways they could work his anger out of him. TK hands the darts back to him, and Carlos can’t help but call him out on his brattiness. “Guess he hit a nerve,” he says before throwing again. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” TK asks as if he doesn't know. 

“Nothing,” Carlos says before going one step further. “Just seems like nobody’s ever spoken to you that way before.”

“You think he’s right?” TK asks disbelieving.

Carlos finishes throwing the darts before answering him, letting TK work it out for himself. “Do you?” he asks TK when TK pulls the darts out of the board. 

TK lets out a deep breath deciding on what to say. Instead of continuing the argument, he decides to go with something he hopes is threatening enough to get Carlos to drop it. “You know I’m holding a dart.” 

“And I’m packing a piece,” Carlos says with a straight face and without missing a beat. 

TK thinks of something smart to say back, but the only thing coming to mind is how hot Carlos looks in that moment. “That’s hot,” he finally spits out. Needless to say that was the last round of darts and they were leaving. TK’s ribs were still sore enough that anything more than cuddling and making out in bed was out of the question. But for once, TK was ok with it. Carlos cared; he was still there even though he knew TK was a fuck up; he didn’t put up with his shit, and he let him just be. Since moving to Austin, he finally felt like he was truly going to be ok and wouldn’t be numb forever. 

“Sleep Tyler Kennedy,” he heard whispered in his hair as he drifted off feeling safe and truly cared for. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all the love on part one of this! Y'all are the best, and know how to give a girl a confidence booster! So here ya go! Part 2. Thanks to the anon that requested a more in depth conversation about TK’s past and thanks to my bestie/my girl @jktwiw that pushed me not to wait until the next episode and to just write straight from that Tarlos promo pic! I wouldn’t be me without you boo!

The next morning, TK woke up knowing it was going to be a bad day. He could already smell coffee and since he was the only one in the bed, he knew Carlos was already up. He ran a hand through his hair and then down his face. Yesterday had been such a good day, he honestly thought he was getting past the bad days. But the nervous, anxious energy buzzing through his body let him know that he wasn’t past them. Nothing good lasted for him, and sooner than later Carlos would realize that. 

  
“Morning,” he heard from the door. Carlos was propped up with a cup of coffee in his hands just watching TK. “Want a cup?” he asked when TK could barely offer a smile. 

  
“Na. I… no don’t need it,” he said. He got up and walked over giving Carlos a quick kiss. 

  
“Everything ok?” Carlos asked watching his new boyfriend? Friend? Friend with benefits? He wasn’t sure what label they were, but he didn’t care. TK looked nervous and anxious and that was top priority at the moment. 

  
“Uh.. yea.. Yea it’ll be fine,” TK said as he walked around straightening up things in the living room that was honestly already straight. 

  
“Tyler….” Carlos said knowing it would get those gorgeous eyes on him. Sure enough TK looked up, “Wanna go to the gym?” He could tell TK needed to get that nervous energy out and he figured a good run or some weights would do just that. 

  
“Yea.. yea sure,” he said offering his first smile that morning even if it was a small one. 

  
They got ready and headed to the gym. TK hit the treadmill first thing and Carlos went to do some reps on the weights to give TK some space. He made sure to keep an eye on him though. TK was pounding it out hard on the treadmill and Carlos was a little apprehensive about what was really bothering him. He thought everything had gone well the day before, and he knew he was still trying to piece together the puzzle that made up Tyler Kennedy, but not knowing what was going through his mind was making him nervous. 

  
When he saw TK heaving, he decided to intervene. He knew his ribs had to be protesting the pace TK had set, and he’d be damned if he let TK reinjure himself while he was around. 

  
“Hey, Tiger, take a break,” Carlos said knocking the speed down on the treadmill. TK gave him a perfect bitch face, but Carlos wasn’t relenting. “You’re ribs have to be killing you so take a break.” 

  
TK gave him a nod and slowed it down some more to a walk as he heaved trying to catch his breath. Carlos gave him a minute as he went to get a towel from his bag. He got the towel wet before tossing it over TK’s shoulders. “Better?” Carlos asked watching TK wipe it over him. 

  
“No,” TK said squirting water into his mouth. “But you’re right,” he panted. “Ribs are hurting.” 

  
Carlos gave him a nod to know he acknowledged him. “Let’s cool down and go back,” Carlos suggested and TK once again nodded. He wasn’t feeling better, but he could see Carlos wasn’t going to let him push himself to that exhaustion he needed with his ribs still sore. 

  
They cooled down and got their stuff together before going back to Carlos’s place. When they got back, they each took a quick shower, but Carlos can see TK is still anxious. He finally manages to snag TK’s hand on one of his laps around the living room. He was afraid TK was going to bolt soon, but he wanted to see if he could piece together some more of the puzzle before that happened. He pulled him down on the couch to sit beside him. “So… the gym didn’t work,” he started. “I know you don’t like to be pushed and I'm not pushing, but if you need a sounding board I’m here. I was serious Ty when I said I’d be whatever you needed.” 

  
TK surged forward kissing Carlos breathless. Carlos’s hands found the sides of TK’s face, and he was able to ease and gentle the kiss. “Tyler…. Ty,” he managed. “This isn’t good for the ribs either. You were pushing too hard at the gym, and I won’t let you reinjure yourself,” he said holding TK’s face between his hands. 

  
TK bit his lip before he dropped eye contact. He worked himself out of Carlos’s hold and started pacing again. He was mumbling to himself, but Carlos was able to catch enough. “Nothing but a screw up; always screw up,” he heard and that was enough. 

  
“Tyler Kennedy,” he said pulling him back onto the couch; “What are you talking about? Who’s a screw up?” 

  
“Me,” TK said defiantly. “Me! Always me!” he said with some anger in his voice. 

  
“No. Not you! Why would you even think that?” Carlos said exasperated. He knew he said he wouldn’t push, but he couldn’t sit there and listen to TK berate himself when it wasn’t true. 

  
TK dropped his eye contact, his hands were fidgeting in Carlos’s grasp and he was biting his lip to no end. “Tyler…. What is going on in that pretty head of yours?” Carlos said again. 

  
The kicked puppy look was back on TK’s face, and Carlos instantly hated it. Just as much as he hated it that night at the station. He hated he was the one to put it on his face, but he needed to understand this boy. 

  
TK couldn’t look at him. He knew today was going to be a bad day, and he knew Carlos deserved an explanation, but was he ready to flay himself open again for him? Anytime Carlos called him by his real name though, it was like the walls and attitude cracked just a little more and the word vomit would start. He said it with so much care, TK couldn’t help himself. Not even his dad made “Tyler” sound so reverent. 

  
“It started when my mom left,” TK said quietly. He managed to pull his hands back needing something to do with them besides let Carlos hold them. “She couldn’t handle dad’s job after nine eleven. They fought even more after it about any little thing. When I came out to dad, she overheard even though I wanted to have dad help me tell her.” He couldn’t sit still any longer. He knew this was gonna change everything for Carlos and he couldn’t take the nervous energy running through him waiting for when Carlos realized how right TK was. He got up and started pacing again, and Carlos let him. 

  
“After that, it was just… it was me and dad. I know mom left because of me, but dad never would listen.” 

  
“Because he knew it wasn’t true,” Carlos offered. His heart was aching for the beautiful man in front of him that truly believed his mom left because of him.   
TK went on as if he didn’t hear him. “After that, I was on my own more with dad working. I started hanging out with the wrong crowd. Partying. Got hooked on oxy pretty easily. Took a year before dad ever found out. But when he did…. He blamed himself. Not even me, himself. He pushed me to get clean and I did. Joined the academy when I’d been clean for a year. Decided I was gonna follow dad’s path. I was gonna save people like he saved him. Everything was great for a few years.” 

  
Carlos was taking it all in, just letting TK get it out. 

  
“I met Alex at the gym. I chased him, and I thought everything was great you know? I thought I loved him. The night I was going to propose he told me he was in love with his spin instructor. I was stupid you know? I knew things had been different, but I went for the big grand gestures. But like everything else in my life, nothing lasts. I od’d that night. Hadn’t had a single pill in three years, not even when I'd get hurt at work. And one stupid move and I’ve od’d in my apartment. Dad and the team got there in time, obviously, I’m here. But sometimes ....” 

  
“Don’t you even finish that thought Tyler,” Carlos said jumping off the couch to wrap his lover (because yea he was falling hard for TK) in his arms. His hands found their way to TK’s cheeks cradling his face. “You are worth everything Tyler Kennedy, and don’t you forget it.” TK stared into Carlos’s eyes and knew he truly believed what he was saying. 

  
TK gave him a small nod before pulling back a bit. “After that, dad accepted the job here and we moved. He found me a therapist and I’ve been going to AA, but sometimes… it’s just…. It still gets to be too much. And I knew when I got up this morning, it was going to be a bad day. And I know I'm gonna screw this up at some point,” he said gesturing between them. “I mean I already have, and you… god Carlos you deserve so much better, someone who’s not screwed up like I am because you’re so good and I just…” 

  
Carlos’s lips attacked his downgrading rambling. It took a minute, but TK started to slowly kiss him back. Carlos tightened his grip just enough to make sure he had TK’s attention as he slowly pulled back to stare into his eyes. “How bout you let me decide what’s best for me, huh? I’m a big boy Ty, I can make my own decisions. And right now, you are all I want. Whatever you need, I was serious about that. Don’t forget it.” 

  
TK’s lips attacked his as TK’s hands tangled in the curls at the base of Carlos’s neck. Carlos kissed him until he knew TK’s breath was running short, before he eased back to kiss TK’s forehead. “But I’m not letting you trade one addiction for another no matter how wonderful it’d be.” 

  
TK groaned as his forehead fell forward to rest on Carlos’s shoulder. “However,” Carlos smirked his hand running up and down TK’s back. He could feel that the tension had mostly bled out of TK, but there was still some flowing through him. “I’m not opposed to a little more exercise this morning as long as it’s my way,” he said his voice dropping as stared into TK’s eyes.

  
“Yea,” TK breathed with a little smirk just like that night Carlos had asked him to dance. He pulled TK back to bed where they didn’t emerge from until late afternoon. 

* * *

It was a few days later, when they had to face one of their worst days yet. Tornadoes ripped through Austin; TK and Carlos were both slammed all over the city with long shifts and overtime and helping people that needed it.

TK was bone tired by the time they got back to the station. Everyone split off to clean up and decompress. While his dad was in the shower, he went looking for some gum in his office. He’d been feeling nervous, hadn’t heard from Carlos in several hours, and he’d found gum helped relieve his nervous energy in a decent way. When he pulled out a drawer and saw the pill bottle, he froze. 

  
He read the label several times as the information sunk in. He whipped his phone out and started googling. He knew how long his dad liked to take when cleaning up from calls, and he wasn’t worried about getting caught. As he started reading the information, he started freaking out. Why would his dad have anti-nausea meds that were prescribed for chemo patients. His dad wasn’t taking chemo. He wouldn’t hide that from him, but the little voice in the back of his head said TK wouldn’t have been able to handle it if his dad had told him. He was too weak and fragile in his dad’s eyes. His dad was hiding it from him. His dad was taking chemo and he…. Before his thoughts could spiral any further, his phone rang with the one person he hadn’t heard from in hours.   
“Carlos,” he answered breathlessly as if he’d been running a marathon. 

  
“Ty, what’s wrong?” 

  
“Dad… he….” TK bit back the sob that was threatening to overtake him. He wasn’t sure he could handle his dad hiding things from him, but he also didn’t know what he’d do if his dad didn’t beat whatever this was. 

  
“Tyler!” Carlos practically shouted to get his attention again. 

  
“Yea,” he choked out. 

  
“Are you ok to drive? Or do I need to come get you?” Carlos knew if something major had happened to the Captain, he would’ve heard about it by now. So something either happened on a call, or TK was freaking out over something Carlos knew nothing about. 

  
“I’m… I’m ok,” he said pulling himself together. He put the pills back exactly where he found them. “I’m leaving… I’m leaving and coming over,” TK said knowing he couldn’t face his dad like this. 

  
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up at Carlos’s and Carlos was waiting in the door for him. TK practically flew into his arms barely holding back his sobs. “It’s ok…. I got ya. It’s ok,” Carlos whispered tightening his arms around TK and pulling him into the house. He knew it’d been a stressful day; it was TK’s first time dealing with the aftermath of a tornado, but this was something more than that. “Wanna tell me what’s wrong?” 

  
“I…. I went looking for some gum after we got back and I’d cleaned up. And dad started…. He’d been keeping some for me ya know, and I was looking for some in his desk and I…. I found a bottle of pills. It was a prescription for him… It was his. I didn’t recognize the name and I googled it and it’s for chemo patients… why would he have them?” He turned pleading eyes on Carlos and Carlos let out a soft sigh. This was going to rock his boy’s world. 

  
He let his thumbs drift over TK’s cheeks wiping his tears. “I don’t know Tiger,” he said quietly pulling TK into him. “But we’ll figure it out, yea?” TK nodded against his shoulder as he clung to Carlos. 

  
After several minutes of quiet, with Carlos running his hand back and forth through TK’s hair, TK finally spoke. “He didn’t tell me because he knew I’d break,” he whispered dejectedly. 

  
“Tyler,” Carlos started. 

  
“No, it’s true. I’ve let him down so much and this last time…. It was bad and he couldn’t even…. He couldn’t trust me to tell me,” he said tears forming again. “I don’t even know how long he’s had it. He’s been coughing and tired… so tired lately and I just… I let him tell me it was just a cold, and adjusting to moving. And I just bought it. I’m trained as an EMT and I’ve just let him lie to me.” 

  
“Ty stop! You can’t do this. Not without knowing all the facts. You’re gonna have to talk to him no doubt, but not right now. It’s gonna be ok. You’re dad is strong, he can and will beat this. He has you and a whole EMS family behind him. You’re gonna be ok,” he said placing a soft kiss on his forehead. 

  
TK gave him a small nod, and Carlos wrapped him in another tight hug to reassure him. “Now, I was in the middle of cooking, you wanna eat?” He was a little   
leery of bringing up cooking dinner after last time. While things had been going well, he knew TK was still gun shy. 

  
“Yea sure,” TK said distractedly. His dad had text telling him not to wait up, but TK was more worried about researching and figuring out how to get his dad to talk to him. 

  
Carlos kept an eye on his boy as he finished up dinner. He was already in the process of making tamales before calling TK so he decided to just finish it. An hour or so later, he set the table and got two glasses of water before finally catching TK’s attention to come eat. 

  
Before they started eating Carlos gave him another hug and kissed his cheek. “I think it’s lung cancer,” TK whispered his hand grabbing on to Carlos’s arm to keep him from moving. “All the symptoms match, and it would… it would make sense after nine eleven.” Carlos let his head rest on TK’s shoulder as he listened. 

  
He gave TK a gentle squeeze before softly saying what was on his mind. He knows it might be too much, might be pushing too much but he has to let TK know what he's feeling. "We'll get through it Tiger. He's got you, and you'll have me. Whatever you need, that doesn't change. I meant it that night at the station, and nothing is going to change it."

  
TK gave a small nod as he let himself absorb the strength he felt from Carlos. He could feel the tension bleeding out of him as Carlos let him rant and ramble. "I know. I'm…. I'm feeling better and the therapist is helping even if I hate it… and work is awesome, and this… this move was probably the best thing to happen for me even if I didn't want to admit it. And there's… there's you," he says quietly with a gentle smile on his face. Carlos gives him a squeeze and a peck on the cheek. 

  
"I'm not going anywhere Tyler Kennedy," he softly says into TK's ear. 

  
"I have to talk to him though," TK sighs his head dropping a little.

  
"You do and I think I you can handle it," Carlos said finally letting him go and returning to his side of the table so they could eat before it got cold. 

  
"Sometimes you have too much confidence in me," TK says. 

  
Carlos reaches across the table to grab his hand and attention. "I don't think I do. You just said you were feeling better, and look I cooked and you're not freaking out." Carlos made sure TK was looking at him so he'd know he was teasing. TK gave him a bratty smirk in return. 

  
"Yea. I am. It's one of the better days… feeling stronger," he said with a small shrug. "I just…. He needs to know I'll be there for him. That he doesn't have to hide this." 

  
"Then tell him that. Tell him what you just told me," Carlos said as if it were nothing. "I know you're close with your dad Ty, you can do this and you can talk to him. He'll listen." 

  
"Thanks," TK said softly. He still wasn't used to all of Carlos's praise and belief in him. He finally actually took in the table. "This…. You made a lot."

  
"Just food Tyler. Don't freak out on me now," Carlos said teasingly but deep down he was afraid TK would bolt for the door again. 

  
"Where's your beer?" TK asked giving him a suspicious look. 

  
"Didn't want one. It was a long day, a lot happened, and besides you're not drinking and you needed a clear headed sounding board," he said as if it wasn't that big deal of a deal. 

  
"Carlos…" 

  
"Don't. I know if I wanted a beer or alcohol it wouldn't bother you. I mean we've been to the bar. But I'm good." 

  
"You're too good," TK said fondly. 

  
"Na, just me. Now dig in," he smiled. 

  
They chatted about their day and the stressful calls they’d responded to while they ate, Carlos knowing TK needed a little bit of a distraction. Carlos could see though that TK needed to get home, so when they were done and started to clean up, he stopped TK from helping. "I got it," he smiled. He kissed TK's forehead. "It's ok, go home. I got this."

  
"You sure?" TK hesitated. 

  
"Positive. Go home. Talk to your dad. And Tyler," he said using TK's name. (He secretly loved watching his boy shiver ever time he did it) "Call me if you need me. I don't care what time day or night. Call me." He wanted to add that he should call him instead of doing something stupid, but he didn't because he believed it when he told TK he could handle this. 

  
"Thanks," TK said leaning up to give him a sweet kiss. "I'll call ya later." He slipped on a hoodie not even bothering to notice it wasn't his, but one of Carlos's academy hoodies. Carlos just let him never taking his eyes off TK til he was out the door. 

  
The night had gone better than expected and he was hopeful that when TK needed something he'd turn to him and not back to the pills. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm taking prompts on tumblr for Tarlos so if there's something you wanna see let me know and I'll see what I can do! It felt good to write again and I'm gonna indulge my muse and let her run wild while she's feeling it.
> 
> PART 2 WILL BE COMING SOON! It's got spoilers for tbe tornado episode and here's a 1 liner teaser from it
> 
> "You've got him so I've got you. We got this tiger" and the credit for that line lies solely with my bff @jktwiw


End file.
